AURORA — Police are continuing to investigate whether Monday night’s fire, in which two people were killed and 25 injured, was arson.

About 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, scanner traffic described a possible suspect as a white male in his 20s with a shaved head and a black-and-white checkered shirt, captured on video camera from a nearby 7-Eleven.

No information has been released about the people who died at the Fitz Apartments, 1747 Peoria St. Steve Southard, the maintenance manager of the building, said the two who died were a couple from Asia who had lived in the building since the early 1970s.

A family member, who was awaiting official confirmation from authorities, told KMGH-7News that the victims were Bounhieng Thammavongsa and his wife, Dom.

Southard said the man was a janitor for Aurora Public Schools.

His wife was an extremely friendly woman who always took time to acknowledge Southard’s children, he said.

“She always had the time to hug my son. Then she’d walk next door to the 7-Eleven and buy him a banana. That boy loves bananas,” Southard recalled with a smile.

Robnett said flames were soaring higher than the roof of the four-story, brick building when fire crews arrived just after 11 p.m.

“Residents were at the windows and in some cases hanging out of the windows,” he said. “We made numerous ladder rescues.”

Robnett said some people jumped from windows to safety before firefighters arrived.

He said the two people who died were on the fourth floor. Those who were injured were being treated for broken bones and smoke inhalation, he said.

Ten patients were sent to University of Colorado Hospital. Eight had been treated and released by Tuesday evening, according to a hospital release.

Fire investigators were still trying to find the fire’s point of origin and said they were looking into reports of a man with a can of gasoline spreading the accelerant down a hallway of the building.

Southard said fire investigators Tuesday morning talked with a man who makes the rounds in the neighborhood carrying a red coffee can, which he uses to pick up discarded cigarette butts.

Robnett said the building predated mandatory sprinkler systems. Southard confirmed that, saying the building was from the early 1960s. He said the building does have fire alarms and fire-resistant doors.

The twin, side-by-side buildings — separated by a parking lot — have security cameras in the back. Southard said the unit that stored the images was damaged in the fire. The equipment survived the fire and was turned over to investigators.

Kieran Nicholson covers breaking news for The Denver Post. He started at the Post in 1986, at the old building on 15th and California streets. Nicholson has covered a variety of beats including suburbs, courts, crime and general assignment.

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